Campaigning is a set of actions targeted at an individual or institution in order to make a change. Oxfam has been very deliberate about the tools and tactics it has chosen to use in the Behind the Brands campaign and refrained from others even when they are effective. For example, in Behind the Brands we have never personalized our corporate targets, e.g., going after the CEO. This is a well-known tactic in corporate campaigning that many organizations use because it puts direct pressure on a decision-maker. While organizations like Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network have successfully used outrageous and media grabbing stunts to attract attention and public support, Oxfam has used a combination of tactics and approaches to gain corporate commitments. We try to ensure that our campaigning walks a moderate line: hard hitting enough to convey urgency so supporters will act while at the same time not so aggressive that relations with a company become too strained. So, what is the Oxfam formula for our Behind the Brands campaigning?

Oxfam combines evidenced-based advocacy using deep company engagement, combined with digital mobilization, media, offline and online stunts, advertising, investor and shareholder activism, case studies, and collaboration with allies and influencers. Our evidence-based advocacy on Behind the Brands has always included a justification of our targeted companies along with a business case that also highlights best practice. Oxfam has taken a “critical friend” approach on Behind the Brands. Why and what does that mean?

Many corporate campaigns personalize a company through the CEO or other decision-makers; they may call for boycotts or generally paint the company as inherently bad. Oxfam, on the other hand, does not call for boycotts because the impact is generally felt but the communities for whom we are advocating (e.g., farmers and workers). Rather, Behind the Brands has taken the approach that the private sector can be a positive actor for development. In garnering several commitments on the campaign, Oxfam has also taken into account the fact that we will work with a company on implementing those commitments not only as a watchdog to ensure that they follow through but also as an advisor on how best to do it. Keeping this mind, aggressive campaigns can mean a real hangover after the celebration of a win. After all, at the end of the day relationships between Oxfam and the company sit with individuals and when there are hard feelings between those individuals it makes it challenging to work together, even on shared outcomes and interests.

So, what’s the Behind the Brands code for corporate-campaigning?

DO:

Be respectful.

Create a realistic ask: Campaign for something that the company can actually deliver;

Justify your campaign with evidence.

Follow the lead of your supporters, allies, and community you claim to represent: Openly communicate and carefully listen to your constituency.

Give the company the chance to do the right thing: don’t campaign for campaign’s sake, give the company a chance to right the wrong before going public.

DON’T:

Ambush the company: Provide a right of response and review for materials you will be making public. Be transparent with what we want and what we are going to do without jeopardizing your strategy.

Target individuals: This should be a last resort tactic. Similarly treat company brands with respect. Calling for change does not need to be a smear campaign. Only make accusations where you have evidence and legitimate cause.

Being an activist is being a strategist, and various strategies can create similar outcomes; there is room and space for all kinds of activists. After all, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X did not go about the civil rights movement in the same way, but both sought to deliver equality for their people. Oxfam respects and recognizes the need for other campaign styles but so far, we’ve seen some good success with the one we’ve employed on Behind the Brands.

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Author bio

Irit Tamir

Irit Tamir is the Director of Oxfam America's Private Sector Department. In her role, she is focused on working with companies to ensure that their business practices result in positive social and environmental impacts for vulnerable communities throughout the world. Irit leads Oxfam America’s work on business and development including shareholder engagement, value chain assessments, and collaborative advocacy initiatives, such as the successful “Behind the Brands” campaign.

Irit is co-author of Community Voice in Human Rights Impact Assessments and has contributed to numerous reports at Oxfam focused on business and human rights issues. She is a frequent commentator on agricultural policies, labor, human rights and their intersection with business in major news outlets including NPR, The Guardian, and the New York Times.

Tamir has a JD from Boston College Law School and a master’s in international law from the University of Miami Law School where she was a Ford Foundation fellow. A devoted human rights activist, she has spoken publicly about human rights, climate resilience, and the food system. Tamir has had years of experience in government relations and is a former prosecutor who supervised civil rights prosecutions and hate crimes.

Washington, DC

Oxfam is a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty. We help people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, and save lives in disasters. Our mission is to tackle the root causes of poverty and create lasting solutions.

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